Cranberry-Braised Pork Shoulder

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-24 · Updated 2026-04-24

A sweet-savory twist on classic pork shoulder, braised with tart cranberries and aromatic herbs for a deeply flavorful main course. This American-inspired comfort-food recipe, ready in about 165 minutes, pairs pork shoulder, fresh cranberries, red onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lb pork shoulder
• 1 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 medium red onion
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary
• 1.5 cups chicken stock
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Trim 3 lb pork shoulder of excess fat, season with 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper, then sear in 1 tbsp olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat until golden brown on all sides, about 8 minutes total.
2. Step 2: Add 1 chopped medium red onion to the pot and cook for 3 minutes until softened. Stir in 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Step 3: Add 1 cup fresh cranberries, 1.5 cups chicken stock, and 2 fresh rosemary sprigs to the pot. Bring to a simmer, then cover and reduce heat to low.
4. Step 4: Simmer gently for 2.5 hours, or until pork is tender enough to shred with a fork. Remove rosemary and discard, then let rest 15 minutes before serving.